How does this source help with our understanding of Medieval Japan?
This primary source aids our understanding of
medieval Japan as it gives us a valuable insight into what the Japanese thought of the Portuguese, Portuguese culture, influences of the Portuguese and Japanese culture. We can presume this evidence would be mostly unbiased as the Portuguese had been in Japan for less than sixty years, giving little time for commoners, such as the artist, to form an opinion; a dislike or a liking. However it is possible to presume that some features have been exaggerated. For example, it is unlikely that the Portuguese pants were quite that voluminous, as a majority of source show otherwise. From looking at other sources around this time we can see that the pants were quite roomy. It is very possible that the artist was just so surprised to see clothing so different to that of the Japanese that they exaggerated what they may have thought was a ridiculous element of Portuguese culture. Naizen depicts two Japanese people peering out of their home, looking interested, as though a group of foreigners walking down the street were an unusual spectacle. They seem to either not mind or have a mild liking towards the Portuguese as the older of the
two people has what could be described as a slight smile on his face. Naizen’s artwork shows us a bit about Portuguese culture. We can see that at the bottom of the picture a darker skinned man is holding a dog and wearing less regal clothing. We can assume that this man is a slave, possibly from a country that Portugal has already conquered, such as Angola. Naizen helps us see the
influences of Portugal on Japan. One of the men is carrying some breed of bird, perhaps a pigeon. This shows us the Portuguese may have brought non-native animals which had the potential to became feral and killed Japanese animals by eating them or destroying their food or shelter supply. Also in the photo we can see that two of the men are carrying handkerchiefs, perhaps suggesting that they
are sick. These sicknesses, if transferred to the Japanese could potentially kill them as they might have little or no immunity to the disease. The source also shows us a little about Japanese culture. We can see that the two Japanese people are wearing similar clothing to each other. We can also see some examples
of the different hairstyles that Japanese adults and children might wear. Thirdly, at the very bottom of the picture it is possible to see the beginning of a roof and we can see how it is tiled in a way that is very similar to that of the Chinese, showing that there were perhaps some cultural exchanges and integrating previously. So, in conclusion, this primary source shows s a lot about the two different cultures, about Japanese reactions and opinions towards the Portuguese and about the influences the Portuguese had on
Japan.
medieval Japan as it gives us a valuable insight into what the Japanese thought of the Portuguese, Portuguese culture, influences of the Portuguese and Japanese culture. We can presume this evidence would be mostly unbiased as the Portuguese had been in Japan for less than sixty years, giving little time for commoners, such as the artist, to form an opinion; a dislike or a liking. However it is possible to presume that some features have been exaggerated. For example, it is unlikely that the Portuguese pants were quite that voluminous, as a majority of source show otherwise. From looking at other sources around this time we can see that the pants were quite roomy. It is very possible that the artist was just so surprised to see clothing so different to that of the Japanese that they exaggerated what they may have thought was a ridiculous element of Portuguese culture. Naizen depicts two Japanese people peering out of their home, looking interested, as though a group of foreigners walking down the street were an unusual spectacle. They seem to either not mind or have a mild liking towards the Portuguese as the older of the
two people has what could be described as a slight smile on his face. Naizen’s artwork shows us a bit about Portuguese culture. We can see that at the bottom of the picture a darker skinned man is holding a dog and wearing less regal clothing. We can assume that this man is a slave, possibly from a country that Portugal has already conquered, such as Angola. Naizen helps us see the
influences of Portugal on Japan. One of the men is carrying some breed of bird, perhaps a pigeon. This shows us the Portuguese may have brought non-native animals which had the potential to became feral and killed Japanese animals by eating them or destroying their food or shelter supply. Also in the photo we can see that two of the men are carrying handkerchiefs, perhaps suggesting that they
are sick. These sicknesses, if transferred to the Japanese could potentially kill them as they might have little or no immunity to the disease. The source also shows us a little about Japanese culture. We can see that the two Japanese people are wearing similar clothing to each other. We can also see some examples
of the different hairstyles that Japanese adults and children might wear. Thirdly, at the very bottom of the picture it is possible to see the beginning of a roof and we can see how it is tiled in a way that is very similar to that of the Chinese, showing that there were perhaps some cultural exchanges and integrating previously. So, in conclusion, this primary source shows s a lot about the two different cultures, about Japanese reactions and opinions towards the Portuguese and about the influences the Portuguese had on
Japan.